So, you have (presumably) read about Whitemoss elsewhere on this site. You know where the members train and in what competitions they compete. The question now is where does the action occur? Hopefully this page shall answer that question.
The following directions have been prepared to guide you to the main venues we compete at during the summer and winter. During the year there are also several open graded meetings, which are open to all athletes to attend on an individual basis. These venues are also shown. All directions are given as if travelling from East Kilbride. At some venues without proper cover or seating, parents are advised to bring camping chairs, a cushion (and warm clothing)!
East Kilbride Stadium
The John Wright Sports Centre
Calderwood Road
EAST KILBRIDE
G74 3EU
Telephone: 01355 237731
Home territory, you shouldn't require directions.
The venue comprises an 8 lane 400m synthetic track and facilities for most field events, excluding pole vault. It has one uncovered stand but a full set of floodlights (great for training on those cold, dark winter nights) and a cafe and showers in the sports centre.
Open graded meetings were held here for a short spell in the late 1990s, dubbed the South Lanarkshire Council Open Graded Meetings, but we have not had a league competition at home since 15 September 1996. August 2007 shall put that statistic to bed.
Special features- no cover available so woe betide you if it rains. Always seems to be extremely windy on the back straight for some reason. In addition, (hopefully I'm not the only sad individual to spot this) rabbits and foxes can sometimes be seen scurrying around the grassy embankments. Honestly! When I spot one, I'll get a photo and publish it online.
Above: our home patch on a clear spring evening
Scotstoun, Glasgow
Take the M8 through Glasgow. Leave at Junction 19, (Clydeside Expressway / Clydebank / SECC). Proceed to the end of the slip road - you will be turning right, but it's probably better to get into the centre lane (the sign post is rather misleading as it has two arrows heading right – there's only one road). On turning right keep to the left / middle to head straight along the Clydeside Expressway toward Clydebank. After about 2.5 - 3 miles you'll see a pretty little park on the right. Turn right at the next junction – signposted for the sports centre. After about 80 yards you'll come to a strange junction – turn left, up the hill and you'll come to the Sports Centre and running track.
The Stadium has a north-east facing stand. Café facilities are in the newly upgraded Sports Centre. Usually ample parking
Special feature: The blue track, which puts all the markers for hurdles out of sync.
Senior athlete, Scott Davidson races on the blue track at Scotstoun
Grangemouth
Take the M9 towards Falkirk (Stirling). Leave the motorway at Junction 5, Grangemouth (also sign-posted Football Traffic). Head right (Grangemouth) at the large roundabout that runs underneath the motorway. (There is also a sign for the Sports Centre at the roundabout exit.) About a couple of hundred yards go straight on at a mini roundabout. Take the next left (sign-posted) and the stadium occupies the right hand side of the road.
The stadium has a north facing stand. There is a tarmac surround for sunbathing on. The stadium has a small cafeteria. There are excellent indoor warm up facilities for the athletes.
Special feature: A notoriously slow track though, funnily enough, I always run well here. A wonderful view of the petro-chemical works, and it always rains. If you compete often, you will become sick of the place. Monthly midweek open graded meetings take place here from April to September inclusive. According to one source, the bacon butties are "absoloutely mingin."
Athlete and throws coach George Dingwall chucking the javelin at Grangemouth
Dumfries– David Keswick Sports Centre
Go down the A74/M74, and take the exit for the A701 (after Beattock) for Dumfries. On entering Dumfries follow the main road for about a mile or so until arriving at a point where it forks. The main road veers to the right – take the side road on to the left that goes straight on. At the end of this road turn left, and there will be another left turn that takes you to the stadium (and school) car park.
Open seated area - no cover, but the Sports Centre overlooks part of the home straight.
Limited Café Facilities in the sports centre, limited parking.
Special feature: Notoriously fast track for 200m races, and it never rains here. We never get to race here often enough though. It's one of our longest treks but my personal favourite. The home baking also goes down well with coaches, officials, athletes and taggers on alike.
It rarely rains in Dumfries
Coatbridge
If you know where the Time Capsule is, then take the first road on the left, about two/three hundred yards past it. If you don't know where the Time Capsule is.... take the M8 / A8 westbound. At the junction for the A725 (Bellshill / Coatbridge) there are two slip roads within a hundred yards of each other. Take the second one (immediately after passing underneath the flyover). This swings up round to the left and you will be joining (at a Give Way) the road into Coatbridge. Follow this road through a mini roundabout and some traffic lights downhill through the town. You will come to a large roundabout set at a jaunty angle. Go straight over, and over another large roundabout. At the next roundabout (where there's a large McDonalds on the right) follow signs for the Time Capsule (left). Follow this road / Time Capsule signs. There is another roundabout beside the town Centre – go straight on (underneath the railway bridge) following signs for the Time Capsule which will soon appear on your left hand side.... (now see first sentence)
No cover – grassy surrounds. Facilities: Limited café in Sports Centre. Limited parking. Worth arriving early.
Special feature: On a warm sunny day this is the most pleasant venue we visit. On a wet windy day it is probably the most unpleasant. It has the best pies apparently.
Ayr – Dam Park
Follow the M8 into Glasgow and join the M77 for Kilmarnock / Ayr. At the first big roundabout on the edge of Ayr turn right, into Ayr. Go straight on (the Race Course will be on your left hand side). Turn left at the lights past the race coarse. Dam Park is sharp left at the roundabout at the foot of the hill.
The stadium has a south-facing stand. Usually sufficient parking .
Special feature: The Stand is ideally positioned to catch the sun. Suntan Factor 10 if it's sunny.
Meadowbank
(Coming from M8) Take the Edinburgh City Bypass for Musselburgh. Follow till the end of the dual carriageway and turn left for Portobello. Head for Portobello going straight through to roundabouts. At third roundabout, turn left for city centre. Travel for two miles and you will come to the stadium on your right hand side. Turn right into the car park just before the stadium.
The stadium has a large north facing stand, plus open seating on other sides. Facilities: Limited Café and Limited car parking
Special feature: The bitterly cold east wind and the score board looks good, when it works, as illustrated here.
Wishaw
Leave the M8 for Wishaw and Motherwell. Cross the river and turn right at the traffic lights. Follow the signs for Wishaw and head up the hill, go through two roundabouts and turn right at the third, Motherwell civic centre is on the left. Past Taggarts garage to large roundabout and go through under bridge. Head up past new Wishaw Hospital and at roundabout take third left for sports centre. Past Bowling greens and centre is on right hand side.
The stadium is new, with clean changing rooms in the Sports Centre, a concrete seating area, uncovered and grassy surrounds.
Catering: In the Sports Centre.
Special Feature: None really, but being one of the newest tracks, the surface is very hard. There is also a swimming pool. Athletes are known to scoff chips here when their events are done and dusted. Hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows is another post-race favourite.
Kelvin Hall Indoor Arena, Glasgow
Travelling on the M8 through Glasgow you will be required to exit at Junction 18, Charing Crass. The slip road leaves from the right hand side of the carriageway, so get into the outside lane early. As you come off the M8 onto the slip road, stay in the outside lane as it goes up to join a main road at a "Give Way" junction. Stay in the outside lane after merging onto this road, as you will eventually be turning right. Go straight through the first set of lights (No Right Turn) and turn right at the next set of lights which takes you over the M8 into Berkeley St (which is One-Way). Stay on Berkeley St until the road markings take you to a right turn into Claremont St. At the traffic lights turn left into Sauchiehall St. Stay on Sauchiehall St, through a two sets of lights (now on Argyle St) and the Kelvin Hall will be on your left (opposite the quite impressive Kelvingrove Museum on your right). The entrance to the Kelvin Hall car park is immediately after the building. Alternatively you can park in the Museum car park.
Returning. Follow the one way road round the back of the Kelvin Hall. Turn left at the first opportunity, and right at the end, which should bring you out onto Argyle St opposite the Museum. Follow this road back (left hand lane) to Sauchiehall St and you'll eventually see the signs for the M8.
Indoor Covered seated area - Limited Café Facilities in the sports centre.
Special feature: Only a 60m sprint track and a 200m circuit. Notoriously tight bends and the outside lanes are murder. Keeps you warm in the winter, but you’ll get fed up going there by the end of the indoor season.
Kelvin Hall: air conditioned, dry, no wind. Just don't get drawn in lane 5.
